a. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to practice greens for use in the game of golf, and, more particularly, to a practice green having an upper surface that is adjustable to a variety of contours.
b. Related Art
Artificial greens are well known for practicing one's golf skills, and are a common fixture of homes, offices, course club houses, and “19th Holes”. Typically, such practice greens have a surface covered with carpet or artificial turf and one or more holes into which the ball is putted.
Although traditional practice greens are useful to a degree, their benefits and enjoyability are limited by the fact that in most cases they are static structures which cannot be adjusted to provide added challenge or an element of variety. For example, many prior practice greens are simply long, flat surfaces, which provide no challenge above a certain level. In other cases practice greens have been made that incorporate certain obstacles, such as a small “sand trap” or “water hazard”, but while they might add some challenge or entertainment value these features bear little or no resemblance to the conditions the golfer will encounter on a green on an actual course.
On actual putting greens, of course, the greatest challenge is usually provided by the uneven contour, with various slopes, breaks, swales, ridges, roll-overs and so on, so that one cannot simply putt the ball straight towards the hole and expect it to go in. In many courses these features are intentionally designed into the greens, and it is a critical skill of a master golfer to be able to “read” these contours so as to be able to effectively compensate for them in making a successful putt. In point of fact, the slopes and contours of the greens of many major golf courses are cataloged and studied in depth by both professional and amateur players.
Prior forms of practice greens have had very little ability to simulate these features. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,146,284 shows a practice putting green having panels that are supported on adjustable legs. While this does allow the slope to be adjusted, it does so only in a gross sense and there is little or no capability to develop subtle features, such as small ridges, swales and so on. Moreover, reliance on the individual height-adjustable legs means that adjustment is tedious, and stability and long-term durability are doubtful. A more basic variant on the same theme is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,863,256, in which the panels are supported from side rails having height adjusting screws. U.S. Pat. No. 5,390,925 shows a device in which the angle of the panel is adjusted by rotating polygonal supports at its corners.
Others have taken the expedient of simply placing a mound under the carpet or artificial turf, but this obviously offers little flexibility or adjustment, at least without having to provide (and store) large number of different mounds, ridges, and pieces having other shapes.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a practice putting green having a surface that is readily adjustable to a wide range of contours. Furthermore, there exists a need for such a putting green that permits varied and subtle contours to be formed within the overall lie of the surface. Still further, there exists a need for such a practice green assembly that is simple and convenient to adjust. Still further, there exists a need for such a practice green apparatus that employs a support mechanism that is both durable and stable in use.